A contractor has been lined up to carry out the £68.8 million re-alignment of the A59 at Kex Gill in the Harrogate district.
North Yorkshire County Council has awarded preferred bidder status to John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Ltd, an Irish civil engineering and construction firm. A council spokeswoman said the value of the contract was “commercially confidential”.
John Sisk & Son was involved in the delivery of the 2012 London Olympics and the capital’s Crossrail project.
The decision is dependent on funding from the Department for Transport, which is currently reviewing the full business case. A decision is expected next month.
Contractors will move on site in December to clear the moorland by late February next year to avoid the bird nesting season. An estimated completion date is May 2025.
The A59 at Kex Gill, near Blubberhouses, is the main route between Harrogate and Skipton. Since 2000, the route has been closed 12 times following landslips.
The DfT awarded a £56.1 million grant for the realignment towards an original budget estimate of £61.6 million. The county council agreed to pay the remainder from its capital reserves.
The project has faced numerous delays and following tender returns, the estimated cost of the scheme increased by £7.2m to £68.8m, which the council attributes to due to inflation affecting constructions costs.
It therefore approved an increase in its allocated funding from £5.5m to £12.7m, given the DfT grant is fixed.
Asked whether the scheme would require detours and road closures, a council spokesewoman said:
“It’s very early to say for certain at this stage. However, we don’t envisage road closures or detours. The majority of work is offset from the existing A59 alignment being on the opposite side of the valley.”
Cllr Keane Duncan
Cllr Keane Duncan, the council’s executive member for highways and transportation, said:
“This is a key step forward for the Kex Gill re-alignment, which is one of the council’s most ambitious ever highways projects.
“The A59 provides a very important east-west connection in North Yorkshire and the route is listed by the government in the top 10 for strategic importance nationally.
“Re-aligning the route is the only real solution so we are pleased to now be at the stage where we are ready to appoint a contractor.
“We remain committed to carrying out this key project as quickly as possible and in the most cost-effective way.”
‘Light at end of tunnel’
Cllr Nathan Hull (pictured above), a Conservative who represents Washburn and Birstwith on the council, said:
“There’s light at the end of the tunnel with this project now that we have a preferred contractor and a start date in mind.
“The re-aligned route, which will leave the A59 at North Moor Road and re-join the existing road at Blubberhouses, will be safe and reliable for residents, businesses and visitors for generations to come.”
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Sisk’s Yorkshire projects include completing the Leeds Public Transport Investment Programme City Centre Gateways and is delivering major infrastructure work at York Central.
Dominic Hodges, managing director of Sisk, said:
“The scheme is technically challenging with complex engineering solutions required within an environmentally sensitive area.
“We are working collaboratively with all stakeholders to develop an innovative scheme and look forward to working with the local community to leave a lasting legacy.”
